Save me a Dance
by Fuzzy footie pajamas
Summary: Late at night, a forlorn and restless Puppet makes his way to the Sister Location, in search of companionship. As per usual, Ballora is waiting, allowing the Puppet to breach the silence. While he comes with an air of maturity, Ballora can see the child that is still inside. The child whose life ended too early, and seeks a comforting hand. Slight Abdl/Age Regression


**A short idea I've had for a good while and only just finally finished. **

Perfect. In every sense of the world, she was perfect. When the children came to see her, it made her so terribly happy. She danced and sang for them, with a wide smile spread across her delicate features. The children loved her so dearly and spoke to her as though she were alive, despite her cold, metal exterior. Ballora adored the children, and they loved her right back. Watching the smiles light up their faces just by watching her, it really made her day. It wasn't just the children either that made her so happy. Circus Baby, Funtime Foxy, Funtime Freddy, BonBon, even Ennard when he came out during the night. They were all so much fun to be around. She saw them quite a bit during the day as they performed, as they were all placed on the stage together to perform every other hour. In between those times, however, she and the others all were sent to their own stages for individual programs for the children to see. Sometimes, lots of kids came to see her dance, sometimes, it was only a few. But no matter how many came, it was always plenty of fun. She would say her favorite part, was when it was but one child that came along. With only her and the young one around, she could to talk to them, and listen to the stories they had to tell. She just loved her job. But...she knew not everyone could say the same.

She knew she worked at a sister location to the ever popular Fazbear's pizzeria. She knew very little about a majority of the animatronics there. The little she did know, came from what she heard from the children and parents. She had heard a lot about the rumors that arose from the place. The murders, the missing children, the spring-loaded suits, it really sounded like something out of a nightmare. She wished she could speak to some of the animatronics. Find out some things for herself. But she thanked her lucky stars that there was at least one. One that could come to see her and speak with her. One curious soul who came to the sister location, just to meet everyone, and get to know them. He had been willing to clear up any false rumors they had potentially heard, and tell them the whole truth. He was a friend to all of them.

But to Ballora, he was special. Because she was the only one he had ever been able to show his true feelings to. Ballora was the only one who got to see the child that hid behind the pale mask. For that, she felt blessed.

Another day had come and gone. The children went home for the night, the nightguard was on watch, and the animatronics were left to themselves. Resting quietly at their assigned stages in their assigned rooms. Ballora sometimes wondered what went on with the others. Since the night-guard had come along, she and the others didn't visit each other as much. They were always stopped once they began to wander. How rude. So for now, her robotic body was left in it's 'standby' position, with her arms and legs in the fifth position. She would not yet move until the time came to perform. Unless something triggered her motion sensor anyhow...

Her eyes snapped open, and she was met with the darkness, the only light being the soft, pink lighting from her stage. It was kept on at night so she could be easily seen in case something went wrong, or repairs needed to be made. She held still for a moment, scanning the room. Something had set off her sensor. Someone was in the room. It could be the night-guard. This wouldn't have been the first time she was rudely awakened by him. It could be BonBon too. He was small enough to escape the view of the camera's and could have easily crept in without anyone seeing. It couldn't have been the little Minireenas that usually danced at her side. She could see them, deactivated and lying at her feet. After a moment, she gave a knowing smile. The guest hadn't said a thing yet to acknowledge his presence. But she knew exactly who this timid being could most likely be.

"Puppet?" She got no answer. "Puppet, you don't have to hide from me you know? It's alright," she said softly as she lowered her arms so they rested at her sides. The puppet was the only animatronic from the other pizzeria who came here because he was the only one who was able to. His magic gave him the power he needed in order to get himself here. She had been told a fellow named Golden Freddy had similar powers. But he simply was not strong enough to teleport such a distance.

She waited patiently. And sure enough, he emerged from the darkness, floating towards the stage, becoming a bit more visible, thanks to the pink lighting of her stage. "Good evening Ballora," he said softly. His head was tilted towards the ground, and his long, black fingers intertwined. She couldn't see his face too well, but she could already tell it likely wasn't a happy one. It was a bit strange sometimes to watch the puppet emote. His face had been built into a permanent smile, and his eyes were hollow and expressionless. But he had managed to fix that as best he could. His eyes were the same, but his mouth could move fairly normally for the most part. He still couldn't do some things due to the absence of lips, like pucker his lips, or even pout. But he was fairly happy with what he could do. Despite that general happiness, however, he was clearly not happy now. She lowered herself down and sat on the stage. She pats the spot next to her.

"Come. Have a seat Puppet," she encouraged. The Puppet float closer, and quietly lowered himself onto the stage, sitting down beside her. "Having a bit of a hard night?" she asked him. A nod. "I see."

"My apologies," the puppet began.

"Shush. You don't need to apologize. I'm glad you came to see me. It's been such a long time." Just staring at him, Ballora could feel a soft pang of sympathy in her chest. The Puppet was no different from the animatronics in the other restaurant. He had been the first child to be hurt. And had watched the others be murdered by that terrible man. The Puppet had been the one to save their souls, giving them a second chance through the animatronic suits. He had expressed to her the guilt he felt after having done such a thing, feeling that it could have been better if he had simply let them go. But he couldn't stand the idea of just letting them go. He wanted to give them another chance. But the guilt simply made it hard to watch them at times and often had him leaving like he had this evening.

Ballora let her fingers slide over a few inches, and rest on his lap. The Puppet was young. He had been but a child when he had died and had found himself taking over the puppet's body. No matter how many decades had passed, it didn't change the fact that the puppet was still a child. He had matured with the years and had seen many many things during his time in the pizzeria. But, he had taught himself the things he knew now. He didn't have anyone to care for him or comfort him during the nights after his own murder. He had sheltered the children, and comforted them, taught them how to behave in the restaurant, and taught them how to defend themselves against the night guard. He was the only grown up they could cling to and trust.  
But Ballora knew the truth. The Puppet was no more of an adult then they were. He needed the same comfort and the same help that the others did. But because they all lived in the same nightmare that he did, he hadn't been able to have such a thing.

Ballora however, lived in a much different reality. She loved when he came to her because she knew it showed how much he trusted her. She never wanted to betray that trust. She wanted him to know that no matter what time of the night it was, no matter what was going on, or how he felt, he could always, always come to her. She remembered the first time he had come, not too long after the Sister Location had first come to be. When Ballora met him for the first time, she had been so surprised. She had almost wondered if the other pizzeria locations had simply been rumors, as she had no means of seeing them for herself. So once he appeared, and she discovered the secrets and the restaurants really were real, it had been such a shock.  
It had taken a few visits before he had really opened up to her about the way he was feeling, and about the things he himself had been through before the other children had been murdered. He had certainly had a very hard time himself and was suffering more then he let on. It was after that, that Ballora decided to do her best to comfort him during the nights we needed it most, rather than letting him hide away in his box. Since she didn't have a means of communication with him yet, she could only wait for him to come to her. So, each time he showed his face, she made sure to treat every minute very preciously.

"What's the matter sweetheart?" she asked him. "What's causing you such grief tonight?" Despite the somewhat tinny sound to her voice, she still sounded fairly maternal, and very patient. She knew to approach carefully, and be patient with him. He didn't always open up about these things, and sometimes didn't want to speak at all. But pushing him to talk was only going to make him withdraw even farther. So, she often let him decide what he wanted to talk about, and what he wanted to keep to himself. It was better that way.

The Puppet sighed. Unlike Ballora's tinny voice, he sounded a bit hollow and airy. Almost as though he were whispering. Perhaps that was why he was a puppet of few words. One couldn't understand him if they weren't listening. But Ballora's ears were focused on him, wanting to give him the opportunity to express his thoughts. "I couldn't sleep," he finally said. Ballora waited for him to continue, but when it was evident that he had no intention to do so, she spoke instead.

"Hmm. Is it that you can't fall asleep? Or that the nightmares are keeping you awake again?" she asked him. He didn't answer her, focusing his eyes on his lap. Sometimes, she found it odd that the animatronics could dream at all. But, she supposed it made sense. They weren't always robots. They had all been humans at some point. So, they still had human ideas and dreams. She had never dreamt before. It sounded like a wonderful thing. Well, most of the time it did anyway.

"Would you like me to help you sleep?" she asked him.

"No," he responded. "I don't want to sleep right now."

"No?" she mused. "Well, then would you like to talk?" she asked him. Again, he shook his head. Well, then. She couldn't help but wonder what it was he intended to do here. Sometimes, the two of them would talk. Other times, she would just hold him, and they wouldn't say a word. If he was feeling bad enough, he might even cry. But that was a bit rare. What else could she do for him she wondered? For a moment, neither of them spoke. She had a feeling that he didn't really come here with an idea of what to do either. She glanced behind her for a moment at the Minireenas that rest behind her. Staring at them, she felt an idea slowly start to emerge. Perhaps...if he would let her...

"Then, would you like to dance?" That certainly got his attention. He finally looked up from his lap, and at her.

"Dance?" he asked. "Oh no, I'm no dancer," the Puppet admit, almost seeming a little embarrassed.

"I never said you had to dance," Ballora chuckled. "All you have to do is be still," she assured him. "What do you say? May I have this dance?" Ballora extended her hand towards him, offering him assistance to his feet.

The Puppet hesitated. He still didn't fully understand what she meant. But, he supposed nothing could be wrong with giving it a try. "Of course," he nodded, placing his thin hand into hers. Ballora smiled, and got to her feet, helping the Puppet up. Once they were both upright, rather than take both of his hands to assist him in a dance, she instead bent her knees a tad and placed one arm under the Puppet's long, thin legs, hoisting him up and into her arms, surprising him greatly. "Ba-Ballora!" he said. If he still had blood coursing through his body, he felt that he may have blushed.

"Ssh. It's all right," she assured him. "Come. Let's dance together," she said, managing to lower her voice to a soothing whisper. As she approached the center of the stage, she could see that the Puppet started to relax, ever so slightly. She didn't blame him for being so tense at first. She didn't know how old he had been when he passed away, and he told her that he didn't remember. But what they both knew, was that he had still been just a child. Still of the age where a mother's hand was always welcomed and a pat on the back was needed to sleep. Where wounds were kissed better, fairy tales could come true, and where nightmares and fears were soothed, with the warmth of a mother's arms. But, the Puppet didn't have that comfort any longer. So, for the time being, Ballora would stand in. She wouldn't go as far as claiming to be his mother for the time being. But, she wanted to be there for him to at least replicate a mother's loving touch. The one he had been simply too young to lose.

Once she was situated on her stage, she carefully adjusted her hold on him, cradling him like a child. While she couldn't tell exactly where his gaze was, due to the hollowness of his eyes, she could tell he was avoiding looking at her entirely. She couldn't blame him. So, she didn't comment on it. Instead, she simply began to dance.

She couldn't make the music that usually played in the room start. She didn't have access to the controls in that way. But, did have another way to play a little dancing music. Without disturbing the Puppet, she was able to activate a switch inside of her through her own will. As soon as it was activated, soft, music box music began to play from a speaker on her back, covered by her delicate ballet dress. It often played while she was in standby mode in the restaurant, and she wasn't doing a show. That way, she could still entertain in her own special way before her show started, or during intermissions.

Once the soft music began to play, Ballora began to dance. She didn't have the ability to do jumps or extremely fast spins, but for the time being, she didn't need them anyhow. Instead, she swayed, and slowly twirled along the stage. She didn't activate her Minireenas for the time being, wanting to spend a bit of time alone with the Puppet. As she expected, the Puppet didn't speak to her. Instead, he rests his head against her breast, keeping his eyes away. She didn't mind though. What was bothering her, however, was the Puppet's expression. He still looked so sad. Why was that? While she wanted to ask him why he was so troubled, she simply couldn't. Thankfully, however, the brief silence as she danced, was broken by the Puppet himself.

"It's been a long time," he said suddenly and quietly. "Since I've been held this way I mean."

"Since you passed?" Ballora asked, which in turn, he nodded to.

"And, as you can imagine, ever since then, I haven't had such a kind hold. It brings back a lot of memories."

"Pleasent ones I would hope," she chuckled softly. But, it didn't get a laugh from him. Rather, he just seemed to look more upset.

"Magical ones," he sighed, clutching her dress. "I can't remember my own mother's face anymore, or my father's. But, I remember how much fun we had together. How much we loved each other." He was quiet, as though he were thinking, before speaking once again. "My mother and I, we used to dance together," he said. "I would stand on her feet, and we would spin around the sitting room all the time. The day before my death, I remember we were dancing once again. She was so happy. But I can't even remember her smile."

"Memories don't last forever I suppose," Ballora sighed. "It's sad, but it's true." She didn't wait for him to answer this time. "But shouldn't we at least be grateful that it happened, rather than mourn over something we can't change?"

"I...suppose..." He wasn't really sure how he should feel. He rests his head on her chest and whispered out, "But, it's okay to still feel a little sad, right?"

"Of course. They were your precious memories after all. It's okay to mourn them. It's your right. You can cry all you need to."

"I don't think I have that ability any longer," he laughed sadly. "I wonder how many times I would have cried by now if I had the ability to." Ballora's heart sank a bit, but she let it go.

"You know, perhaps, we could create new memories together," she offered. The Puppet's head cocked, so she continued. "I fear that your good memories have been clouded over by the trauma you faced. Leading to those memories becoming sad ones, rather than cherished ones. I don't know how old you were when you died. But you were deprived of a proper childhood by the one that hurt you. It hurts to know that your memories have become so faded. So, I want to create new ones."

"But...how?"

Ballora tilted her head forward, pressing her forehead against the puppet's and making him freeze. "You're still a child. You may have matured quickly, but that was only because you didn't have a choice. It's painful to know that you were forced to do such a thing. I see children every day, smiling and clinging to their mother's hands. I envy those mothers at times. Having their own little balls of sunshine to watch over and love. There are times where I find myself craving that same love and happiness. I am not living in the nightmare that you are, but I still find myself quite lonely. I want to sooth both of our hearts."

She stopped dancing for a moment, and instead began to rock the puppet, back and forth, as gently as she could. "I want to take care of you Puppet. I want to re-create the childhood that was taken from you. I don't want to be so bold as to claim I am your mother or act as though I were. But I at least want to make this time a little more bearable. I'll care for you and hold you as I am now. I'll sing for you, and dance with you whenever your dreams are bad, or your thoughts scare you. I will talk to you about the simple things and treat you as the child you were supposed to be. I understand vulnerability can be scary sometimes. But I think everyone deserves happiness. You didn't deserve your fate, but we can do out best together to make things better."

She waits for a moment, allowing him to think over what she had said. His long, dark fingers began to tremble softly, indicating that he was feeling. But what was he feeling? Fear? She could only presume it was fear.

"I...I don't know," he admits quietly. "Is this really okay?"

"Of course. I wouldn't offer to do so if I didn't mean it," she assured him. The Puppet was quiet once again.

Finally, he stopped shaking, and he peered up at her. "I need to go," he said softly. "The sun shall be rising soon, and I must get back at my spot."

"A-ah. I see." Ballora nodded, and carefully set the Puppet down. But, rather than leave, he lingered for a moment. He seemed a bit uneasy. Had her offer truly made him upset? She felt a bit embarrassed now. Why had she thought this would be okay? It was such a personal thing to offer, wasn't it? "Well, thank you for coming anyhow. I was glad to see you again."

"As was I," The Puppet nodded. His fingers twitched once again, and he seemed to prepare himself to shake her hand. Ballora smiled and offered out her hand to him. The Puppet took it, but rather than shake it, he held onto it. And again, he hesitated.

"I would like to return tomorrow," The Puppet said that whispery tone seeming to become even quieter. "And, if you will allow me, I would like to dance with you again," he requested. With his palm resting in her, his fingers wrapped around her hand, and ran along the pale metal. Ballora chuckled and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Yes. I think I'd like that quite a bit."


End file.
